Scotch College

'Levens Learn Leadership'

'Levens Learn Leadership

The school is rapidly becoming accustomed to the leadership program for Year 11s run by the Social Education Department. Training programs focus on Year 11 as they are old enough to be both skilled and responsible in leadership roles and they do not yet have the full preoccupation of final year assessments.

For the past eight years we have had a Peer Support Program aimed at providing links between older boys and Year 7, which Year 7 really enjoy. For three years now we have also run an Orientation Program for any new boys not in Year 7.

For the past two years we have extended this program to include some interactions between Years 11 and 8. Since last year all 8s have been provided with a 'Mentor', a 'big brother', who spends time with them in terms three and four, on the ratio of one Mentor to two or three Year 8s.

We have also provided Lunchtime 'drop in' rooms in winter for both 7 and 8. Games are provided in these rooms and two leaders are there to provide supervision and support. These rooms frequently have capacity numbers.

Some Year 11 Students serve in different capacities. Some act as occasional Teaching Aides in Maths and PE classrooms. Here they can assist the teacher by providing extra one-to-one assistance in the form of example and explanation. Some become Library Aides and help the busy librarians with routine day-to-day tasks. A new group, supplemented with volunteer Year 10 Students, have assisted Ms Boyd with the running of the DAV Debating program, which Scotch is hosting for this year.

The school believes that the more Year 11 who have leadership roles within the school, the more useful services can be provided to the school community and the more the boys involved will benefit from the experience of having to take responsibility in a leadership capacity.

Boys seek leadership through cadets, scouts, the outdoor education program offered to Year 10 and Sports First Aid. The Social Education initiatives do not seek to cut across these, but rather to supplement them with further opportunities.

The growth of social education activities has led to the secondment of another teacher to the department. Mr Robert Cavalin is now helping with policy and program management and his skills and energies are greatly appreciated.

Training this number of leaders can be a tricky exercise within the crowded list of activities run at the school. Peer Support and Orientation training are both undertaken at the end of Year 10 in readiness for the new year. Other leaders are trained in April to prepare them for their roles in Terms Two and Three.

The training went all day and explored aspects of leadership both general and specific to the Mentoring role the boys will undertake.

Ms Jenni Huon was the facilitator and challenged the fifty-six boys present with a range of activities and role plays. 'Really interesting and useful' and 'more than just another leadership program' were typical comments in the boys' evaluation of their day's experiences.

Mr David Paul
(Head of Social Education)